Sterlite Plant Shutdown: TN Protesters 2nd Victory

Tahsildar Sivakami Sundari sealed the Sterlite copper smelter plant today at Thoothukudi along with district collector Sandeep Nanduri and SP Murali. Tamil Nadu government today(29-May-2018) cancelled the land which is allocated to Sterlite for the second copper smelting plant in Tuticorin, an afternoon after it ordered the permanent closure of the first plant amid violent protests, which claimed 13 lives.

citizens and environmental activists have long demanded a shutdown of the copper smelter, India’s 2d-largest with an annual manufacturing of more than 400,000 tonnes, bringing up air and water pollution.

On may 23, the development of a 2nd copper smelting plant by using Sterlite in Tuticorin became placed on hold via the Madras excessive court amid angry protests. Sterlite has been planning to build a second plant with objectives to double manufacturing ability.

A petition in courtroom claimed that Sterlite, the copper arm of mining giant Vedanta, is fraudulently building the second one copper plant at a specific website online without an approval.

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday ordered the closure of the copper plant in Thoothukudi, marking an extensive setback for the Anil Agarwal-owned Vedanta unit, which called the closure of the plant it has operated for over 22 years an “unfortunate improvement”.

The plant, in the coastal town of Thoothukudi, has been shut considering that March 27 for preservation and pending a renewal of its licence, while citizens endured largely peaceful protests demanding it better shut. The opposition escalated last week whilst heaps of people marched towards a collector office at the 100th days of the protest. Ten people have been killed by police in that day; 3 extra died in next days.